The Hawk-Eye replay system "has made its badminton debut at the India Open Super Series," according to IANS. After testing various instant-review technologies, the Badminton World Federation "has contracted Hawk-Eye Innovations to provide instant-reviews for major events." This includes Hawk-Eye’s "popular graphics implementation which pinpoints the exact spot where a shuttle lands." Hawk-Eye’s system "will gradually be integrated with the in-venue video boards and live worldwide broadcast feed, allowing fans to see instant reviews and decisions on challenges." BWF Secretary General Thomas Lund said, “Since we introduced instant reviews in last year’s Super Series Finals, many people have been asking when we would take the next step -- add the graphics which they are accustomed to seeing in tennis and other sports. Now, with Hawk-Eye on board, we are ready to progress to that stage” (IANS, 4/3).

Tennis club LTTC Rot-Weiß Berlin "has put the idea of hosting a WTA grass tournament on ice," according to Sebastian Arlt of the BERLINER MORGENPOST. LTTC Rot-Weiß Sports Dir Markus Zoecke said, "We have put it on ice for the moment." Last year, club President Werner Ellerkmann talked to former Wimbledon champion Michael Stich, who was thinking of getting involved with his marketing agency HSE Hamburg sports & entertainment GmbH. The club "was aiming to put on a WTA tournament between the French Open and Wimbledon." However, the period "is already stacked with other more established events" (BERLINER MORGENPOST, 4/3).

Glasgow's Red Road flats will come down as part of the Commonwealth Opening Ceremony.

Five huge tower blocks "that have seen some of the worst deprivation in Glasgow in the past 50 years are to be demolished as part of a spectacular opening ceremony for this summer’s Commonwealth Games," according to Danielle Sheridan of the LONDON TIMES. The Red Road flats, which until recently "were used to house asylum seekers," will be blown up in just 15 seconds -- an event described by organisers "as the biggest demolition of its kind ever seen in Europe." The "stunning start to the Games is designed to show how the city is moving forward from a past too often associated with hardship." Glasgow 2014 Chair Eileen Gallagher said the “audacious” idea to blow up part of the city’s skyline that had been both loved and scorned, would celebrate the “controversial” buildings. Using 1,250kg of explosives, five of the six remaining Red Road blocks "will be destroyed as the event is beamed live into the ceremony at Celtic Park and to viewers around the world" (LONDON TIMES, 4/3). The Scotland DAILY RECORD reported City council leader Gordon Matheson "has written about the plans to each affected household." Matheson: "The opening ceremony will be the moment when we welcome the world to Glasgow. It will be a ceremony like no other, showcasing our city's unique style and personality and with our people and communities at its very heart." Glasgow 2014 Head of Ceremonies/Artistic Dir David Zolkwer said, "Over the course of just a few seconds the city's skyline will be transformed forever." The Opening Ceremony will take place on July 23 at Celtic Park (DAILY RECORD, 4/3).

The National Basketball League "will host its first summer league program alongside the NBA summer league" in Las Vegas in July, exposing NBL players, coaches, referees and administrators to NBA counterparts, acccording to Roy Ward of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. The NBL "will host a special camp" at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, "mixing a selection of its players with potential imports who already will be in town to play in the NBA summer league." The hope for NBL clubs "is they can lure a high class import or two to Australia, following on from the successful recruitment of stars" such as James Ennis (Perth) and Rotnei Clarke (Wollongong) this season. NBL CEO Fraser Neill said that being in Las Vegas among the NBA business hub "offered endless possibilities for the league." Neill: ''If we are going to grow we have to benchmark against the best, find best practice and reach that height" (SMH, 4/3). Breakers CEO Richard Clarke said the venture "may open significant doors for the competition." Clarke: "This is a bold and exciting step for the ANBL to take and one we are fully supportive of. America consistently produces the best basketball talent in the world and provides a pool of imports to our league each season" (FAIRFAX NZ NEWS, 4/3).

Bahrain "tightened security" on Thursday, as the three-day F1 Grand Prix was about to get under way, with the country's Shiite opposition "planning protests to seize world attention for pro-reform demands." On Thursday, police "were deployed along a main road linking Manama to the Sakhir F1 circuit in the south, as more checkpoints were set up on roads leading to Shiite villages." Public security chief General Tariq Hasan said on Tuesday the authorities have taken "all measures and plans" to secure the Formula One event (AFP, 4/3). ... V8 Supercars "are on a collision course" with the Australian Football League with next year's Bathurst 1000 and the AFL grand final poised to be held on the same weekend. The AFL will start late next year due to the cricket world cup, which will be using venues such as the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It means the '15 grand final could be played on Oct. 10, "the same weekend V8 Supercars has pencilled in for its marquee 1000km classic at Mount Panorama" (AAP, 4/3). ... The seventh edition of the Indian Premier League will return to India on May 2 with a clash between past winners Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders in Ranchi. The UAE was awarded the hosting rights of the first 20 matches of the IPL. Organizers "released the fixture for the remainder of the 40 games," including the final, with all the matches being held in India (PTI, 4/3). ... Papua, Indonesia has been named the host of the 2020 National Games. The decision "was taken during the National Sports Committee’s (KONI) annual meeting early March," and will make Papua only the second province in eastern Indonesia to host the Games after South Sulawesi held the '57 edition. Papua "ran against two other strong candidates, Bali and Aceh, in its bid" (JAKARTA GLOBE, 4/3).